Baseball is a game of numbers. Wait … Umm, I already wrote a column like that.

OK.

Baseball is a game of slang, and to the average person, it can be quite confusing. I'm a huge fan of the National Past Time. I played it most of my life. I enjoy shooting it. I grow a beard from the All-Star Break to the playoffs. That's real.

So in honor of the opening MLB season, and because I have a furlough day, here's a lighthearted comparison between common baseball terminology and our business.

Grab some seeds and enjoy. God knows you need a laugh this week.

BASEBALL VS. PHOTOGRAPHY

GAPPER
Baseball - Any hit that finds a gap between the outfielders.
Photography - Days between work during mandatory furloughs.

FIVE-TOOL PLAYER
Baseball - A player who can hit for power and average, throw and field well and can run the bases.
Photography - Shooting still, video, editing, writing and design.

DOUBLE PLAY
Baseball - A play that results in obtaining two outs.
Photography - Unless it's the awesomest, something not to be included in a portfolio.

TRIPLE PLAY
Baseball - When a defense makes three outs on one play.
Photography - A shooter who walks away from an event with at least three quality images.

SCHILLING
Baseball - One of the most dominate postseason pitchers ever to take the mound. God bless you Curt Schilling.
Photography - What some end up working for when they work for free.

SETTING THE TABLE
Baseball - Runners on base ahead of a power hitter.
Photography - Not easy to do when working for a newspaper.

SMALL BALL
Baseball - Teams who score runs off a combination of bunts, steals, infield hits, hit-and-runs and sacrifices.
Photography - Undercutting bids for work that result in little profit.

PICKLE
Baseball - A runner caught in a rundown.
Photography - How college students feel who are currently majoring in Photojournalism.

FREE AGENT
Baseball - Player whose contract has expired.
Photography - Many of us in the business.

CAUGHT LOOKING
Baseball - Hitter who watches a called third strike.
Photography - Missing a key moment because of chimping.

SWEET SPOT
Baseball - Best spot on the bat.
Photography - Center of the lens.

WHIFF
Baseball - A swing that does not connect with the ball.
Photography - Auto focus misses.

NICKNAME
Baseball - Big Papi
Photography - Big Kahuna

PAINTING THE CORNER
Baseball - Pitch that hits the corners of the plate.
Photography - Technique Dave Black has mastered.

BATTERY MATE
Baseball - Catcher.
Photography - Jackrabbit pack.

(Jared Dort is a staff photographer at The Sun in Yuma, Ariz. - the sunniest city on the planet. His work appears regularly in his newspaper and sometimes other places. You can view more of his work on his member page http://www.sportsshooter.com/jared and his website http://www.jareddort.com. He will also be on the staff of the upcoming Sports Shooter Academy VI workshop in Southern California.)